Surviving Hope
by ZoneFics
Summary: Forced to participate in a madman's survival game with no access to their magic, Erza and Lucy find themselves trying to escape their captors while Fairy Tail struggles to bring them back home alive. "We won't let them win. That is the Fairy Tail way!"
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me

Copyrighting not intended

Hey ErLu shippers! Well, if you couldn't tell from the summary, this story was inspired slightly from the Hunger Games, as well as a lot of survival stories and games I have encountered. It may not be exactly accurate as I am not versed in survival and I'll try my best to keep it original, but enjoy!

* * *

Lucy awoke with a pounding headache, groaning as she felt the hard floor beneath her. Trying to regain her bearings, the celestial mage found herself trapped in a small cell, the door locked with a shimmering padlock, no doubt reinforced with magic. A small weight around her neck led her to believe she was wearing some sort of collar, and from the feel of it, it was made of metal. Scanning her surroundings, she saw a dark lump lying against the floor next to her, and with what little light she had, Lucy managed to make an identification.

"Erza" Lucy struggled to the re-equip mage, still slightly woozy from whatever had knocked her out.

The red-head had been stripped of her armor, leaving her in her usual white blouse and blue skirt, a similar collar shackled around her neck. She was unconscious and her left arm was oddly positioned. Rolling up the sleeve, Lucy nearly threw up at the angry purple and red splotches that marred the once beautiful skin. Lucy was certain that Erza's shoulder had been dislocated. Erza didn't seem to be waking up anytime soon, so Lucy sat beside her, trying to remember the events that had led to their situation.

The last thing she remembered was going on a shopping trip with Erza. An odd event, yes, but Lucy couldn't remember how or why they had decided to go shopping that day. Squeezing her eyes shut, Lucy willed herself to remember more, ignoring the pounding in her head. She remembered being shoved by Erza as a bright beam of light struck where they were standing, and then all hell broke loose. Loke and Virgo were summoned, and Erza was brandishing her blades fighting of people clad in black armor, as though they were some form of soldiers.

The battle was a blur but Lucy recalled Erza collapsing in front of her, shielding her from someone wielding a baton that crackled with electricity. Before she knew it, soldiers had grabbed her and a collar was snapped onto her neck. As it activated, Lucy watched Loke and Virgo fade away, eyes widening as they were forcibly sent back to the Spirit World. Yes, that collar was a magic inhibitor, sealing off her magic. The man with the baton spoke, but Lucy didn't register the words he said, only watching as he walked towards Erza's limp body and kicked it slightly with his foot. Lucy recalled him smirking as he picked up Erza's arm and with a sickening pop, dislocated it with one swift movement. The Lucy in her memory screamed as he did so, and the last thing she remembered was a baton to the head, knocking her out cold.

The jangle of the door brought her attention back to the present and Lucy tensed on reflex as a tall skinny man walked in, the soldiers behind him holding batons. He held himself with an air of authority, his beady little eyes void of emotion.

"You're awake." His scratchy voice reached her ears. It was dry, hoarse and sounded horribly of darkness "Can't say the same for your friend over there."

"Heh, I must have turned the voltage a little too high" One of the soldiers smirked, clearly proud of his actions

A memory flashed in Lucy's head, and she clearly remembered Erza getting struck with the electrified baton. When she refused to fall, the soldier turned up a knob with no hesitation, knocking the re-equip mage out cold from the massive shock.

"No matter. Come."

"I'm not going anywhere" Lucy pushed back, her voice slightly wavering "What do you want with us?"

"Come." The man repeated, his voice never changing "That is an order."

The crackle of the batons got Lucy moving, her senses on alert as she walked down the corridors. The place she was in was dark, torches along the walls illuminating the path. On the right of her were more cells, the figures within huddling together, away from the light as their eyes followed her down the corridor. She was ushered into a room filled with weapons, everything from swords to guns to tracking devices.

"Choose your weapon." The skinny man spoke "And since your friend is currently incapacitated, you will choose for her."

"What are you doing to do with us?" Lucy asked bravely, even though she was quaking inside

"You don't have much time girl" He snarled "Choose or we will choose for you"

If she wasn't going to be able to escape, Lucy wanted to at least have a choice of her own. Her bright eyes scanned the room, her feet immediately bringing her to the sword section. She took a good look at the array of sword. Time spent with Erza taught her how to spot a good sturdy blade. Lucy picked out a simple blade, similar to Erza's personal sword, a shiny silver hilt sword. Weight-wise, Lucy couldn't tell, for it was too heavy for her, but she was sure Erza could wield it, even with only one good arm.

Next was her own weapon. Lucy was never one for close combat, usually relying on her spirits to fight for her, but that was no longer an option. She contemplated getting a light rapier for herself, not really knowing what to expect, and Erza could easily teach her how to wield a blade. Lucy reached for it, but something else caught her eye. She turned away from the sword rack, feeling eyes following her as she walked towards a whip, neatly curled up in a case. It had a sturdy hilt and the whip itself was long and seemed to be in good condition. It may not be the weapon of choice for many people, but Lucy felt confident in her skills.

The tall man raised an eyebrow at her choice, but didn't say anything. He gestured for the soldier to take the weapons Lucy had picked out before escorting her back to her cell. This time, he spoke on the way back.

"You and your friend have been given the honor of participating in our master's game. Not everyone gets this privilege, only those that can bring the entertainment our master requires."

"Honor? Privilege? Game?" Lucy repeated "What the hell are you talking about."

"You will survive, as long as you can" He continued, ignoring her question "We will be watching. Survive like the people that have come before you, or die as they have."

"Die?" Lucy gulped, deciding to gain as much information as she could before she reached her cell "This is a game right? How do we win?"

Stopping in front of the cell, he turned and stared at Lucy, who seemed to small before him. A small smile tugged at his lips "Escape. If you can escape or if your guild rescues you, you win. We have informed them of their optional participation in this game and rest assured, we will make sure you die trying"

Lucy was shoved back into her cell, and before she could turn back and ask more, a sharp pain struck her neck and she blacked out once more.

* * *

The next time Lucy awoke, she found Erza looming over her worriedly. Her neck hurt like hell and her vision was spinning, but it was clear from the sun shining through the trees that they were no longer in their cell.

"Lucy are you ok?" Erza asked worriedly, her brow furrowed

"Yeah.. I'm fine." Lucy sat up rubbing her neck "Where are we?"

"Don't know, I woke up not too long ago" Erza grunted as she moved, her right hand gripping her shoulder

"How's your shoulder?" Lucy questioned worriedly, quickly reminded of that horrible bruising.

"Dislocated" Erza grimaced "Popped it back in but I can't move it right now. Can't use magic either."

Lucy quickly filled Erza in on everything she knew about the situation they were in, leaving the re-equip mage frowning. Erza sat with her back against a tree, cradling her arm. She quickly took note of what they had. In addition to their chosen weapons, they had been given a small dagger that looked like it would fall apart at any moment, an empty water canister and a small back pack. Not much to start with.

Looking around, Erza spotted a vine hanging from the branch above her. She pulled it down, getting Lucy's help to cut it down and quickly fashioned a makeshift sling for her arm. Lucy hooked the whip to her waist as well as the dagger and the backpack while Erza attached the sword belt over her good shoulder, securing the blade. The forest was brimming with noise, the sounds of birds and the rustling leaves. Both girls didn't know what was out there, and they didn't want to find out.

As they trudged through the foliage with Erza leading the way, Lucy decided to strike up a conversation, the silence unnerving her. "Do you think the others will come?"

Erza stopped for a moment turning back with a smile "Without a doubt. It's Fairy Tail after all"

Reassured, Lucy returned the smile, shaking her head "Yeah. Sorry. I'm still a little shaken up from the whole thing. And to think they're watching us."

"We'll get through this" Erza nodded "together."

Lucy nodded once more, following Erza as they emerged into a clearing, a river cutting across their path. Pulling the canister out from the backpack, Lucy filled it with water, drinking a little as she did so. She handed the canister to Erza, who gratefully accepted it, quenching her thirst before Lucy filled it back up and shoved it back into the bag.

"Lucy. Be very quiet." Erza whispered

Suddenly the forest seemed so much more dangerous. Lucy shifted closer to Erza, hand on her whip as Erza unsheathed her blade. Their eyes cautiously scanned their surroundings. There was a moment of silence, then a pale white figure staggered out of the bushes. It had no eyes, the area where its head should be ending in a long stump, as if its head had been swallowed by its neck. Its leathery skin ran down its body turning black as it reached its limbs, its hands ending with 3 fingers. Its feet ended in large talons, its claws sharp enough to tear through flesh. In one of its hands, it held a large spear, its sharp edge glinting in the light.

Erza placed herself between the creature and Lucy, her blade upright. As the creature approached, Erza steeled herself for an attack, instead it started to make noises, noises that sounded like a mix between a turkey gobble and huffing bear. Whatever it was doing, Erza didn't like it. Her fears were confirmed as more of the white creatures began to appear, each wielding a weapon of their own.

"Shit..." Erza swore "Looks like a pack"

"What do we do." Lucy was nervous, her eyes darting from creature to creature.

"Stay alive!" Erza responded, parrying a creature's blade as it torpedoed towards them. "They're fast!"

Lucy shrieked as she dodged one with an axe, scrambling to her feet as it approached. Lashing out her whip, she caught the creature by the wrist, and with a hard tug brought the creature stumbling towards her. A hard kick to the head brought it down, or so she thought. As Lucy tried to get to Erza, the creature grabbed her by the ankle and sent her crashing to the ground as two more approached.

"Lucy!" Erza yelled, having trouble fending off the creatures going after her, preventing her from going to Lucy's aid

Alone, Erza was going up against 5 creatures and she was losing, badly. In addition to their speed, they were strong. While Erza staggered from one blow, the others came in close, barely giving Erza time to dodge. So far she had escaped with minor scratches, but Erza didn't know how long she could keep it up. Finally, an opening! Erza ducked down low, thrusting her blade upwards and spearing the creature through the chest, the blade bursting out its back, sending its bright blue blood everywhere. It squealed like a dying pig before going limp. Pulling her sword out, Erza turn back to face the others, who seemed to be more hesitant in approaching her.

"Lucy! Are you alright?!" Erza yelled out, eyes never leaving the group surrounding her.

There was no reply, but the dying squeal that reached her ears was all she needed. Erza lunged forward, disarming one creature quickly and killing it before dodging a spear that ended up spearing the creature standing behind Erza. Dropping to the ground, Erza spun, her blade slicing through the talon like feet of the creatures, sending the remaining ones to the ground.

A sharp scream echoed, and Erza rushed forward, stabbing a creature in the back. As it collapsed, she saw one of them moving against the tree. Beneath its body, Erza caught sight of Lucy backed up against the tree with nowhere to go.

"Lucy, put your dagger out!" Erza yelled, catching the creature's attention.

As it spun around, Erza kicked it towards Lucy, impaling it on the short dagger. It writhed and twitched for a moment before letting out a dying squeal, going limp. hurriedly, Erza threw the corpse to the side, ignoring the sound of the dagger snapping at its hilt. She knelt in front of Lucy, who was scratched up but alive. The celestial mage was shaking badly, her eyes unfocused, staring blankly at her hands covered in blue blood.

"Look at me Lucy, Look at me!" Erza directed Lucy's attention to her, bringing the girl back to the world

Scared eyes met hers, and Lucy blinked a couple of times "Er..Erza.."

"Come on, let's get out of here." Erza pressed, looking around at the creatures she had left to stagger around.

Grabbing Lucy's hand, Erza dragged the girl deeper into the forest, not caring where they were headed as long as they were safe. They stumbled over roots and bushes, leaving the white creatures behind as the sun began to set. Tired, they took refuge in a cave, after making sure that it was safe. Erza quickly grabbed a couple of fallen branches nearby, using them to conceal their hiding spot before taking a seat beside Lucy.

The younger girl still shook, tear welling in her eyes. Wordlessly, Erza pulled her closer, Lucy leaning into her embrace. The celestial mage sobbed quietly, Erza trying to calm her down, trying to come to terms with the whole incident herself.

"Lucy." Erza whispered softly "It's okay. I'm here. I'm here."

"How are you so calm?!" Lucy almost shrieked, pushing off Erza "We almost got killed by unknown creatures, stuck here in some crazy guy's game and we have no idea if the others know where we are!"

Taken aback slightly by Lucy outburst, Erza cupped her face gently "We'll get out of this. Have I ever lied to you?"

"No." Lucy replied quietly, her shoulders slumping "I'm sorry. I'm just... I don't understand why this is happening to us."

"Whatever it is, we can't let this guy win." Erza smiled "That, is the Fairy Tail way."

"Erza.. can you.." Lucy mumbled softly, going back to Erza's side

The re-equip mage gently pressed their lips together in a chaste kiss. "You don't even have to ask."

Erza captured Lucy's lips in another kiss, the two momentarily forgetting the world around them. Later that night, Lucy sighed as she laid snuggled next to Erza, who had already fallen into a fitful slumber, recuperating from her injuries. Shifting slightly, Lucy felt the grip on her waist tighten as Erza frowned lightly before relaxing again.

Not many people knew that they were dating, with the exception of Mirajane, who had been the one to push them together in the first place, as well as Makarov, just because Erza felt like he should know since he was the Master. Other than those two, Lucy had told her best friend Levy, who had squealed in glee when she knew, but promised to keep it a secret if Lucy helped her with Gajeel. Lucy wasn't sure who Erza had told, but whoever they were, they kept it a secret too. It was an accomplishment to keep a secret within Fairy Tail, where the news and rumors spread like wildfire once it had been leaked.

If anyone asked how they got together, Lucy wouldn't have known what to say. It wasn't like Erza jumped in and saved her, flirted and romanced her like a knight in shining armor would. Instead, Erza had taken lured her out on a simple delivery mission and had confessed on their way back home. There was nothing romantic about the confession, besides the fact that Erza was literally a knight in shining armor.

Lucy wasn't sure when she had fallen in love with Erza. Maybe it was the time Erza saved them from Jupiter or maybe it was the way she carried herself. Erza was not much older than her, but the difference in experience was just too huge. If she had to be trapped in a crazy man's delusional trap for entertainment, she was glad she was with Erza and not anyone else, although she knew that Erza would have flipped Heaven and Hell just to find her.

"I love you Erza." Lucy whispered, kissing the base of Erza's neck as she finally decided to get some rest.

Erza grunted softly, as though she had heard, pulling the blonde mage closer to her body.

Unbeknownst to them, their every move, their every word was being watched. Illuminated by the many screens in front of him, the mastermind flashed a wide grin, revealing a set of golden fangs

"Two lovers. Looks like this will be interesting." He grinned "Good job."

"Always a pleasure, my Lord" replied the tall skinny man behind him.

"Has their guild responded to our letter?" The mastermind asked, drumming his fingers on the armrest of his chair

"It should have reached them by now, we will hear from them momentarily" came the response'

"Good. I look forward to see how much Fairy Tail can accomplish" came the evil grin, the fangs glinting from the light of the screens.

* * *

"Master."

"This is bad" Makarov shook his head gravely "I have heard about this, but for this to happen to them..."

"What are we going to do?"

Makarov paced his office, agitated, his mind in a whirl. Mirajane stood by worriedly, watching him. The old guild Master sat himself down, the crease between his brows deep.

"We need more information." He spoke "We can't afford to approach this carelessly."

"What about Erza and Lucy?" Mirajane asked "We can't just leave them in the hands of this... this madman!"

"From what I know, whenever mages are taken, a notice much like this is sent to their guild. A challenge to find their missing members before they die." Makarov threw the piece of paper disgustedly back onto his desk "However, no one had ever come back alive. The madman makes sure to kill them just as the guild arrives. He takes pleasure in watching the guilds fall apart, a real sicko. Doesn't matter how fast the guild reach them, they will die as they reach their location, that I am sure of."

"Doesn't this mean they are watching us?" Mirajane dropped her voice into a low whisper.

"I believe so." Makarov nodded "We have to keep this under wraps."

"How? Once Natsu and the others find out, they'll go on an all out rampage." Mirajane stressed "They won't be able to keep calm."

Makarov thought for a moment and with a decisive smirk he spoke "We let them rampage, that is what Fairy Tail is all about. He will rue the day he ever messed with a Fairy Tail wizard."

* * *

**Whew. End of chapter one. And YES, Established ErLu right off the bat!**

**Suggestions, reviews and criticism would be greatly appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me

Copyrighting not intended

* * *

"WHAT!" Natsu raged angrily "WE NEED TO FIND THEM!"

The pink-haired boy rushed out the doors of Fairy Tail angrily, only to be stopped by Makarov.

"What the hell! Get out of my way!" Natsu growled, his anger overwriting his respect for the Master.

"We don't even know where they are!" Makarov retorted loudly "How do you expect to find them?!"

"I'll find a way" Natsu seethed "I can't just stand here and do nothing!"

He flew out the guild on Happy's wings, Makarov not stopping him this time. The members began to disperse, most of them rushing out of the guild to assist in the search for clues. Mirajane watched as the Master sigh, knowing that it had been tough trying to convey the news to everyone. She walked over to Levy, who had sat down in shock, a frown on her face.

"Levy." Mirajane spoke, catching the small girl's attention "I need you to find as much information as you can. Similar cases, victims, possible suspects, anything, as far back as you can find."

"I'm on it!" Levy nodded confidently, wearing her glasses as she proceeded to lock herself in the Fairy Tail Archives

Makarov made contact with Mirajane, sharing a nod before he retreated to his office. Pulling out a lacrima, he called up the most reliable wizard he knew. "Mystogan. I need your help."

The masked man nodded, but his eyes gave away the surprise. He had not expected Makarov to contact him, usually it was the other way round. "How can I help?"

"Erza and Lucy have been kidnapped, possibly by the same guy kidnapping mages from the lesser guilds. We can't afford to fall. We have a grid set up."

"Will do." Mystogan nodded, understanding Makarov's cryptic code completely "I will not contact you until I have sufficient info."

As the hung up, Makarov prayed for his guild members' safety, his eyes closing. To the normal people, he was just sitting there praying to a higher power, but in fact, Makarov was slowly and faintly snaking his aura around the room, picking up the hidden cameras that had been installed. Makarov suspected that someone had installed them during the rebuilt of the guild after Phantom Lord, but if so, whoever was behind this had been planning for a long time.

"I see." Makarov reeled his aura back, having detected the 4 cameras that were in his office, already planning his next steps

* * *

He watched as Fairy Tail fell into an uproar, the famous salamander flying into a rage. Reclining back in his chair, he smiled. Just the reaction he wanted. The maggots beneath him should experience despair before they die. Bringing down Fairy Tail, that would be his greatest achievement. He had never brought down such a famous guild before, this would make the world aware of his power, of his authority over their lives.

It didn't seem as though Fairy Tail had any clear idea of how to proceed, and so, with a flick of his remote, the screens switched back to the two trapped wizards currently tracking through dense undergrowth, heading up the hill. Slightly annoyed at their guild's lack of response, he flipped a couple of switches before settling back in a wicked smile, his hands reaching for the drink by his side as the wizards began to panic.

Back in the controlled environment, a downpour began, soaking the two girls from head to toe. The wind gusted at a massive speed, roaring in their ears as the rain stung their face. Erza held on to Lucy tightly, pushing through the sudden harsh rain. They had left the cave they were in after hearing suspicious noises nearby a couple of days ago. They needed food as well, managing to find a couple of berries and rabbits that Erza had killed for their meat.

While Erza was good at hunting, her lack of knowledge for the dangers of natures almost got them killed. Luckily, that's where Lucy's wealth of knowledge came in handy. Lucy could easily differentiate between poisonous plants and harmless vegetation. She had also been able to identify a couple of healing herbs that they were using to speed up Erza's recovery. They had decided to head to higher ground to determine the layout of the area they were in, their journey hindered by the downpour.

Lucy gasped as her foot slipped on some mud, yanking Erza hard as she landed on her knees breathing hard.

"Lucy!" Erza had to yell over the howling wind "Are you alright?!"

Lucy just nodded, winded from the harsh trek and the fall, struggling to her feet. Thankfully she did not hurt herself too badly, getting away with minor scrapes. They both knew they needed to find shelter soon, or risk getting caught in a landslide. The two found themselves a sturdy shelter under a slight rock overhang, taking the chance to catch their breaths. The celestial mage shivered as lightning illuminated the sky. Erza rubbed her arms frowning. Though the rocky overhang shielded them from most of the elements, it did little to protect them against the low temperature. The rain completely ruined their chances of starting a fire, Erza scowled angrily at the wet pieces of wood around them, and their clothes did little to keep them warm. It was only midday, but once the sun went down, the temperature would plummet and they would be at the mercy of the cold.

The rain didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon, and so Erza settled for sitting next to Lucy, pulling out a couple of dried meat from their bag. The cloth they were wrapped in was damp, making Erza praise Lucy for suggesting that they wrap the meat in several layers. Thanks to that, their meat was cold, but dry. Handing a piece to Lucy, Erza sunk her teeth into her own. It wasn't delicious, the smoky smell long gone, but it was food. Chucking the bones aside, Erza leaned back against the wall with a sigh, trying to squeeze the water from her hair.

"How're you feeling?" Lucy asked, lightly touching Erza's left arm.

"Better. I think the herbs are working. It doesn't hurt as much as before" Erza replied "Thank you."

"Reading with Levy has its perks" Lucy shrugged, scooting over to Erza as the older girl shivered.

Wordlessly, the two sat together, fingers intertwined as they waited for the rain to stop. Staring into the far distance, Lucy frowned as she noticed something unusual. It was difficult to see and Lucy wasn't sure she saw what she saw, but above the top of the trees, the celestial mage saw the tip of an antenna. Excitedly, she gripped Erza's hand.

"Erza! Over there! Look!" Lucy eagerly pointed in the direction of the antenna.

Erza leaned forward and squinted, spotting what had gotten her girlfriend so excited "We'll check it out when the rain stops."

The man was not happy. He clicked his tongue irritably. This was not planned. His plan had backfired on him and he was not happy. He wanted to smother them in the rain, increase the level of discomfort and their struggles. He had not planned for the downpour to push them towards the edge of his area and spotting one of the towers that marked the end of the area. If those two reached that tower, they may have a chance of escaping. Even though the towers were heavily protected, he wasn't willing to take that chance.

"Let's see how you girls like this"

Erza opened her eyes. Something was wrong, she felt it in the air. Lucy screamed as a bolt of lightning stuck dangerously close to her, the loud boom ringing in their ears. Another struck the overhang they were under, sending rocks crashing down on them.

"Run!" Erza yelled, grabbing everything she could. Lucy ran after Erza, who was running towards the antenna. The closer they got the more the accurate and frequent the lightning became.

"Erza, let's turn back! This is crazy!" Lucy shouted above the rain.

"He won't strike his own tower. This is our best shot!" Erza shouted back, dodging the trees that were falling in front of her.

Slowing down just enough to grab Lucy, Erza pulled Lucy in front of her, both of them flying as a bolt of lightning struck behind them. They hit the side of the beacon tower, grimacing in pain. Erza gave a small grin of victory as she realized the lightning was no longer targeting them.

"No barrier" Erza spoke to no one in particular "Probably didn't expect anyone to make it."

"Wait. You didn't know there wouldn't be a barrier?" Lucy questioned, picking herself up

"Of course not." Erza gave Lucy a curious look

"You risked our lives on a gamble?" Lucy was mad "If there was a barrier here we would have died, Erza!"

"But we survived" Erza stated plainly

"What if we didn't Erza?" Lucy yelled "What if there was a barrier here and we got killed by this crazy madman?"

Storming off without a reply, Lucy left Erza standing there blankly. Lucy loved Erza, but sometimes Erza forgot that she wasn't an invisible woman. Lucy hated it when Erza charges off without thinking for her own safety, even more when Erza risks the lives of the people around her on a gut feel. It would seem as though Erza would never let anything happen to those near her, and that was what Lucy was afraid of. Erza would sacrifice herself to save them, hurting herself in the process. Sometimes Lucy wished that Erza would think more about herself.

Lucy sat down at the corner of the large structure in thought. It was quiet, the rain finally slowing down. It was weird. This seemed to be an important location, judging from the amount of lightning attempting to kill them. If it was that important, maybe she could find something that could help them. Looking around, she spotted a panel nearby. Prying it open, she took a look inside. Sighing at the mass of wires and pipes, Lucy carefully poked around. She smiled as she came over something familiar.

A configuration of wires she had seen in a book just recently. Reminding herself to thank Levy when she got back, Lucy pulled out the dagger Erza had given her after they had escaped the white creatures, and sawed at the wires, being careful to avoid those attached to major power outlets.

"NO!" the man watched in anger.

Not only did they reach the tower, now the blond maggot was destroy his property. HIS PROPERTY. Needless to say, he was enraged. Baring his fangs, he typed furiously at his console and didn't stop typing.

Lucy smiled at the beacon began to flicker, clearly she had done something to mess with its internal systems. She continued her careful destruction, intent of finding maybe some sort of communication device or something they could use to disable the collars. As she messed around further, a rustle of leaves and a low growl caught her attention. Slowly, she turned, dagger in hand. A heavy force shoved her back into the beacon, something sharp digging into her shoulders. She fell to the ground screaming.

As she opened her eyes, all she saw was fangs and spit flying in her face. The bloodthirsty eyes that stared back at her chilled her to the core. She screamed once more, plunging the dagger in her hand into the belly of the beast. Roaring in pain, the beast retreated. Scrambling back, Lucy got a good look at what was attacking her.

It looked like a big cat. It had 4 glowing yellow eyes and fangs that protruded out of its mouth. Its cat like body was muscular, too muscular to be natural. Its tail whipped from side to side, a big stinger at the end, much like a scorpion. The wings protruding from its back looked bony and bat-like, but due to the build of the creature, Lucy wasn't even sure it if could fly.

Blood dripping from its abdomen where Lucy struck it, spilling onto the ground where it watched its prey. Lucy rolled out of the way as it lunged, but not fast enough. It caught her ankle, sinking its fangs into her calf. Yelling in pain, Lucy stabbed the beast behind its ear and it quickly released her. It shook its head, snarling preparing to lunge again. Lucy tried to run, but the wound in her leg stopped her. She fell back as the beast landed on her, its foul breath smothering her. Its paw pinned her down, its weight preventing her from lifting the dagger to attack. The beast opened it mouth and prepared to kill. Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to stare into the mouth that would soon be at her throat.

A sharp pain ripped through her shoulder. Lucy winced at the sudden pain, but the weight of the beast was gone. Slowly opening an eye, she caught sight of Erza wrestling the beast a couple of meters away. She was pinning the beast down by the neck with one hand, dodging its paws as it swiped at her. But as strong as Erza was, she had only one arm and was battling the accumulated fatigue. With a toss, the beast threw Erza off, pinning her to the ground as she fell. It raised its stinger, using it to strike. Erza twisted around, managing to avoid the stinger. Annoyed, the beast growled at its prey pushing it down more. Erza swore she heard a crack as a sharp pain shot through her chest. Stunned the pain, the beast took its chance to strike the downed girl.

Blood spurted over the ground, the beast stumbling off its prey. Lucy dragged Erza away quickly, her dagger stained with the blood of the beast once more. Erza pulled out her sword, getting up. She pointed its tip at the bleeding beast. How is it still alive, she would never know. Lucy had stabbed it thrice, once in the gut, once behind its ear and one more at the base of its neck. It should have bled out by now, but here it was still trying to kill them.

"Erza.." Lucy whispered, her grip on the dagger tightening

"Stay behind me" Erza pressed her lips together, ignoring the pain in her chest

The beast, Lucy had decided to call it a chimera for it looked liked a mix of many creatures, stumbled around, the loss of blood clearly affecting. It growled menacingly, slowly approaching them. Taking what seemed to be a desperate attack, the chimera lunged. Erza ducked down, moved forward, slicing the beast as it flew over her head. Blood gushed over her as the blade cut the beast open, its dead carcass landing behind her. Erza had never been more thankful for the rain, the water washing the blood off her person.

Lucy hobbled over the best she could, engulfing Erza in a hug. Erza turned in her embrace "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, thanks to you." Lucy nodded quietly

"No. You killed it." Erza shook her head. "Had you not stabbed it where you did, I wouldn't have a chance of winning."

"Erza..."

"You're strong, stronger than you think" Erza continued "And.. I am sorry. I did not realize you felt so strongly about my...lack of thinking, as you called it. I promise I will try to be more careful. Please let go, I am covered in blood."

Lucy smiled, lifting her head to kiss Erza "I don't care. We're still alive."

Another growl reached their ears, sending them into a panic. Glowing eyes appeared around them as more chimeras stepped out from the bushes. There were easily 5 chimeras around them, all growling.

"Bastard madman is trying to kill us." Erza cursed.

"What do we do?" Lucy gulped, trying to brave.

"Without our magic, we have no chance of winning this." Erza bit her lip "Even so, I doubt we could outrun them in our condition."

Lucy closed her eyes in resignation, was there really no way to make it through this?

"Run Lucy." Erza spoke "I'll hold them off"

"What?!" Lucy looked at her girlfriend in shock "Are you crazy? You'll die!"

"There's no other way out!" Erza stressed

"Didn't you just promise me that you wouldn't do things like this again!" the celestial mage was on the verge of tears

"I did!" Erza furrowed her brows "I don't want to do this either, but I have thought about it. Its the only way."

"I can't survive without you!" Lucy shouted

"Now is not the time to be cheesy!" Erza yelled back, shoving Lucy "Go!"

Lucy stumbled back from the light shove, watching as Erza took on the beasts alone. There was no way she was running. She'd rather die than leave Erza's side. Yet, there must be a way out. Lucy limped back to the panel she removed. Something had caught her eye previously. She wasn't sure it would help but it was worth a shot. She sliced through the wires quickly, throwing away all thoughts of caution, causing wires to spark as they were severed.

There! Lucy saw it, using the dagger she held to pry it out from the beacon console. As she did the beacon shut off, and Lucy heard the the tower powering down. Sitting down with the piece in her hand, Lucy watched as Erza left a deep laceration in one of the chimera's shoulder. She was holding on, but not for long. Lucy pried the object open, scanning its interior before cutting several wires. Criss-crossing several of them, Lucy twisted them together, wincing as her fingers felt the shock from the wires. Taking a deep breath, she prayed it worked before cutting the main power line. The wire sparked violently, sparks coming off the end. Feeling around the collar, Lucy found a spot, probably a jack of some sort. Closing her eyes, she jabbed the wire into the hole, squeezing her eyes shut as the collar vibrated violently against her neck.

"Lucy! Get away!" Erza called frantically

Lucy opened her eyes, but it was too late. Erza watched as the chimera leaped onto Lucy, snarling and biting. She tried to rush over, but one of them got her side, knocking her off balance.

'Lucy has a dagger' Erza chanted to herself 'She'll survive. Like she did before'

No matter how many times she repeated that, Erza felt the dread that bubbled from her heart. She felt tears sting her eyes, but she hurriedly blinked them away. Erza backed up against the beacon, tired and trapped. She watched as the chimeras surrounded her, eyes hungry for blood. Erza was on the verge of giving up. She was exhausted and injured, even with her immense durability and stamina, she couldn't hold on for long.

"Regulus Impact!"

Chimeras flew, arrows embedded in their head as well. Erza sank to the ground, eyes closed. She knew those two attacks well and she smiled.

"Erza-san. Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Thank you, Loke" Erza looked up to meet the eyes of the handsome spirit

"Leave things here to us." Loke nodded before going after the chimeras once more.

Sagittarius supported him from afar. Lucy rushed over to Erza's side, checking her over worriedly.

"Erza are you alright?" Lucy asked

"How?" Erza managed to ask

Lucy held up the object in her hands. "The beacons' power core. Used it to overload the collar. However, its useless now. We'll have to find another way to remove yours."

"No worries, Lucy." Loke walked over, having finished off the chimeras.

"Loke! You've finished beating the chimeras already?" Lucy exclaimed

"They ran after I showed them who the real King of the Jungle was" Loke grinned.

"Regulus!"

The lion spirit shattered the collar easily with his hand, the metal pieces dropping to the ground "Sagittarius!"

"On it!" the spirit answered. Firing a series of arrows into random locations.

"What are you doing?" Lucy asked

"Taking out the cameras" the horse man grinned "Moshi Moshi I shall leave the rest to Taurus"

Sagittarius disappeared, and Taurus' key glowed as the bull man appeared "LUCY-SAN I FINALLY GET TO SEE YOU MARVELOUS BOOBS"

"Taurus, carry Erza" Loke commanded "We need to get them safe and out of sight"

"Of course!" Taurus picked Erza up easily "Ooo Erza-san your body feel delightful against mine!"

"Taurus!" Lucy scolded "Stop. Now is not the time and that's my girlfirend you are holding."

"Yes. I am sorry."

Loke smiled, lifting Lucy bridal style easily "L..Loke what are you doing!?"

"Your leg is injured" Loke replied simply. "This would be much faster and much easier on you"

Lucy flushed red "Thank you"

"Its is my duty to save the master I serve" Loke responded "Let's move Taurus."

* * *

_**Thank for all the support for this fic so far! And I apologize for the weird errors and typos**_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me

Copyrighting not intended

* * *

Loke made his move. He lunged from his hiding spot, bring down one of the creatures with him, killing it without a sound. The sudden movement had caught the others' attention, and as they looked over and moved to investigate, Erza silently decapitated a few, Loke taking the remaining patrol. Once the coast was clear, both of them stepped out from the thick underbrush. Flicking her sword to clear it of blood, Erza sent her weapon back to her pocket dimension as the young man approached her location.

"We can't keep doing this." Loke grumbles, brushing the dirt off his pants. "These.. golums patrols will find us soon."

The spirit had long taken off his jacket and tie, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt and undoing several buttons, the humid weather of the jungle they were in coupled with the high temperature had taken its toll. It was clear he was cranky from the weather and was trying hard not to snap at them, and Erza knew his patience was wearing thin.

"You're right." Erza squinted at the horizon, trying to spot something, anything that could help them.

She sighed when she spotted nothing but the high wall that was their permanent backdrop for the entire area. "Let's get back to Lucy."

A short trek away and they reached their secluded hiding spot. They were careful to avoid the cameras at all times, not wanting give away their position. However, they knew it was only a matter of time before they were discovered. They had to act. Fast. Stepping into the dark cave, they called out to Lucy before rounding the corner, alerting Virgo of their presence lest they were attacked as they entered.

"Erza!" Lucy called out, her face brightened at the sight of her girlfriend "How was it? Are you hurt?"

Shaking her head, Erza took a seat beside Lucy, grunting as her torso ached from her wounds. "I'm fine. Virgo did a marvelous job."

The medicine Virgo had given her was helping tremendously, Erza barely felt the pain from her injuries, the re-equip mage glad to be wrapped in actual bandages rather than vines cut from the trees. She was also grateful to be out of her blood stained clothes, having swapped them with clothes Virgo had pulled out. Where the spirit got the supplies, Erza didn't know, probably the same place she pulls clothes from when Lucy somehow ends up shirtless on a mission. However, despite not feeling much pain, Erza knew the severity of her injuries. She knew she would have to get Wendy to take a look once they got back, and in the worst case, she'll have to see Porlyuscia. Erza knew the old healer wouldn't be very happy to see her again. Not for the 5th time in a month.

A gentle touch rested on her arm, a warm body leaning close to her. Lucy nuzzling gently into her neck as she played with Erza's hair "Are you sure?"

Nodding, Erza redirected her gaze to Lucy's bandaged leg. "I'm more worried about your leg."

"I can't stand." Lucy sighed "But Virgo's medicine is helping. I don't feel much pain."

"We need to find a way out, fast." Loke sat himself down on a rock, running his hand through his sweaty hair

"How? There are high walls surrounding the area and I'm sure there are barriers up top as well." Luke spoke "Virgo already tried underground and none of us have the physical energy to break through the doors."

"Maybe not" Erza spoke, a frown on her face. "If we can't break through, then we'll pass through it."

"What?" Lucy was confused

Summoning a small dagger, Erza held it for a moment before she threw it at the rock Loke was sitting on. He jumped up with a yelp, expecting the dagger to blow the rock to pieces, instead, he discovered the dagger stuck in the floor behind the rock, the rock itself untouched. He picked up the dagger, feeling the weight in his hand. It was solid, that he was sure of."

"What did you do?" Loke handed the dagger back to Erza, who smiled.

"Magic Manipulation." Erza explained, sending the dagger back to her pocket dimension "Because my magic allows me to summon my weapons from my own dimension, I can control how and when they materialize."

"Meaning you can control how much they appear" Loke continued "With just the right amount, the object will become intangible for a moment. But how does this help us? Phasing weapons through the wall isn't going to help."

"It's not." Erza agreed "But you can. Or rather one of Lucy's spirits can."

"What?" Lucy looked almost mortified "But.. I can't do this.. manipulation thing. It's impossible."

"We both have magic that pulls something out of a different dimension. With practice and a rough estimate of how much magic is needed, we should be able to send one of your spirits pass the wall."

"And then they can locate Natsu and the rest" Loke concluded. "The chances are slim, but I think that's our best bet. I'll go."

"No." Erza shook her head "You're tired. Even if we get you past the wall, you wouldn't have enough energy to get help. Besides, I need you here to protect Lucy."

Loke thought for a moment, irked but agreeing with Erza's statement. His mind quickly went through the spirits, noting their pros and cons "I think we should send Gemini."

"Gemini?" Erza repeated

"They're small. It wouldn't take much to summon them" Loke explained his choice "They can also use the powers of the creatures they transform into. This will be useful to relay information and to speed up the process of getting to Fairy Tail."

Erza looked over at Lucy, who still looked a little nervous knowing that their plan rested on her shoulders. "Good choice. Let's do it"

"Erza... What if I can't do it?" Lucy sighed, worried

"I'm here." Erza grabbed her hands, lightly kissing them "I'll help."

"Thank you Virgo." Lucy nodded at the spirit before sending the maid back, pulling out Gemini's key"

"Open, Gate of the Twins! Gemini!"

The two blue twins popped out with a poof, their beady little eyes staring happily at Lucy.

"Hey Gemini, we need your help" Lucy smiled

"Anything for you, Lucy!" the twins danced around, perching themselves on her lap finally. What do you need us to do."

Suddenly, they shape-shifted into Lucy, going around and hugging Erza from behind, their breasts reaching against Erza's head "Shall we entertain Erza for you while you recover?!"

Flushing a deep red, Lucy slapped Gemini off Erza, the twins hitting the ground separately "Stop it! Gemini! this is serious!"

Although red, Erza picked up the Gemini twins gently "Listen here, we have a very important task for you."

"We know!" Gemi raised his hand

"We read it when we turned into Lucy!" Mini raised her hand as well, the two high-fiving each other.

Smiling slightly at the two, Erza turned back to Lucy. "Shall we?"

* * *

"Lucy, Let's take a break"

"No! I'm almost there!" Lucy frowned, gasping slightly

"Look. You're tired, and Gemini is tired too!" Erza sighed "Let's just take a small break"

"We're fine!" Gemi spoke, spinning around in circles

"We can continue!" Mini followed after both spirits flopping onto the ground, clearly exhausted.

Gemi and Mini had been running head first into rocks to allow Lucy to practice Magic Manipulation. The celestial mage was slowly getting better, but it was taking up a lot of magic and Gemi and Mini had red marks where the had smacked into the rock face. Erza knelt down in front of Lucy, feeling her heart break when she saw the tears in Lucy's eyes.

"Oh Lucy." Erza hugged the shaking girl "Don't be so hard on yourself. You're doing wonderful."

"Wonderful?" Lucy spat out bitterly, clearly affected by her failures "We've been going at this so for long, Gemini keeps running into rocks and I can't seem to find the right balance to help them! I hate this! I hate that I can't get this!"

"It took me 2 weeks to get to the stage you were at right now." Erza spoke softly "Of course there were differences in what we trained with, but not even I could make it this far in a couple of hours. You're amazingly talented Lucy. Don't ever doubt yourself."

Lucy stared into Erza's eyes, seeing no deceit in them. Erza was being sincere. Lucy bit her lip. It wasn't like her to give up. She was Lucy Heartfillia. She had fought for her freedom, fought for a place in Fairy Tail and she had fought to gain Erza's heart. No way she was letting a magic trick get her down like that. She brushed her tears away, determination shining through her eyes.

"Let's try it again" Lucy spoke with confidence

Erza smiled, nodding. Gemi and Mini had stood up, seemingly rejuvenated by Lucy's confidence and were raring to go ahead.

"One more time Gemini!"

With a cheer, Gemi and Mini rushed forward with all their might. Just before the two hit the rock face, they squeezed their eyes shut, not surprised when a hard surface collided with their faces, sending them bouncing backwards. Undeterred, they got up once more, ready for another round. This time, something was different. Where there were once two, there was now one. Only Mini was left staggering after she hit the rock face, hands rubbing the sore spot.

Lucy panicked. Did her spirits somehow smashed together into one while trying to pass through the rock? Her question was answered when a dazed Gemi climbed over the rock, his beady eyes shining with excitement.

"You did it!" Erza almost shouted with excitement "Lucy! You've gotten Gemi past the rock!"

"I got Gemi past the rock." Lucy repeated, the elation slowly bubbling in her chest. "I got Gemi through the rock! I think I got this! Gemini, one more time, Let's get this right!"

This time, Lucy could feel the tendrils of magic brushing at her fingertips. She knew how much to pull back, knew how much to release in order to get her twin spirits through. Her eyes watched as Gemi and Mini dashed forward once more. She thrust out her hands, eyes squeezed shut, focusing intently on her magic. There was a tingle in her chest, and she stopped. She smiled when she saw a distinct lack of dazed stumbling spirits in the cave, her smile breaking into a grin when Gemi and Mini popped up from behind the rock, dancing with glee.

"I did it!" Lucy blurted out excitedly "I did it!"

She grabbed Erza and pulled her into a searing kiss, pulling back with a wide grin. "I did it, Erza!"

"Yes you did." Erza mumured, kissing her lightly "I knew you could do it."

"Lucy!" the Gemini twins jumped into her lap, breaking apart the two lovers "We did it!"

"Yeah! We can do it!" Lucy pumped her fist excitedly.

"Don't get too excited!" Erza laughed "You need to rest up first while we finish planning the rest."

"The area near the walls is an open area. We'll be spotted the moment we approach. " Loke spoke from where he was resting. "We have to move fast. If we linger too long we'll be swarmed."

"In the worst case scenario, we'll be swarmed once Gemini get through the wall." Erza mused "We have no idea where we are, or how long it'll take to get help."

"We could always attempt it from the cover of the trees." Loke offered "Gemini can shape-shift so they won't be inconspicuous."

"I'm worried that it'll be too far." Erza frowned lightly "If we fail, he'll be on to us in a second."

"We don't have a choice. Either risk it all or wait til he finds us" Loke shook his head,angry.

Erza nodded. "Let's try it."

Then she turned to Gemini "Gemini, We'll be counting on you once you get past the wall. Get to Fairy Tail as fast as you can."

"Leave it to us!"

"We'll go scout around. Find the best spot to carry out our plan." Erza continued

"Oh no. You're staying right here" Loke pushed Erza back down as she stood up "You need to rest."

"I'm fine, Loke." Erza almost growled "I can handle it."

"We need you to be at you best when we kickstart the plan. Besides you're injured and I move faster on my own." Loke spoke turning away "Stay with Lucy. I'll be back."

Before Erza could protest, Loke was gone, leaving the re-equip mage less than happy. Sighing she turned back to Lucy.

"Let's continue."

It wasn't long before Lucy managed to grasp the right balance of magic required, managing to send Gemini through the rock successfully almost every time, failing once in every 10 tries. They even tried a larger rock, the celestial mage conquering that with ease as well. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow into their haven. Loke wasn't back yet, and Gemini returned to the spirit world to rest up, leaving the two mages alone.

Erza sat with her back comfortably against a rock, Lucy snuggled into her side, her right arm around Lucy's shoulder, lazily tracing Lucy's upper arm, sending shivers down the blonde's spine. In retaliation, Lucy was trailing her hand up and down Erza's thigh, sending the re-equip mage into a frenzy.

"Nee Erza." Lucy started, stopping her teasing actions "You were lying weren't you. About the two weeks."

Erza looked back at Lucy, her hand stopping. "No."

"Erza.." Lucy whined, shaking the older girl

"Ok. Yes and no. I did take two weeks, but those two weeks were used in making sure I could manipulate all my blades effectively."

"How long for one?" Lucy asked, a little annoyed at Erza's lie

"Depends." Erza sighed, knowing she couldn't get out of it "Some took longer the others."

"How about the first time?"

"3 hours. Honest"

Lucy nodded laying her head back onto Erza's shoulder. She felt the strong presence of Erza pulling her in, ad despite their situation, felt safe, warm and loved all at the same time.

"You know what I'm craving for right now?" Lucy spoke quietly, breaking the silence of the cave

Erza shrugged the best she could without jostling Lucy "Milkshakes?"

"Cake." Lucy replied with a grin "Strawberry Shortcake. From the bakery just down the street."

The celestial mage giggled at the sight of Erza's eyes twinkling at the mention of her favorite confectionery "We'll go there once we get back. We could take a detour after that. I know a small antique shop that might interest you."

"Antiques?" Lucy questioned. She never did have a fascination with antiques.

"You'll see" Erza winked "You'll love it there."

"You have a date." Lucy giggled "I'm glad you're here with me. I don't know if I could have made it without you here."

"Rubbish." Erza replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead "You would have survived, and I would turn the world upside down to find you."

"You're really cheesy you know." Lucy laughed "I love you too."

It wasn't long before Lucy fell asleep, her breath lightly tickling Erza's collarbone. Leaning her head back against the rock, Erza stared blankly into the ceiling. She tightened her grip on the smaller girl, the latter pressing herself closer, never waking. There was a nagging feeling in the pits of her stomach. This usually meant that something bad was to come. As confident as she had been in front of Lucy, inside, Erza was a huge mess. She wasn't sure if their plan would work. Even if it did, Erza wasn't convinced she could hang on for long if they were discovered.

A heavy atmosphere lingered over the forest. Besides the chimeras and white creatures, Erza sensed a more powerful being slumbering somewhere. Friend or foe, she didn't know, and hopefully she would never find out. However, if their kidnapper had control over this being she sensed, their chances of survival were slim. If she had been in tip top shape, Erza wouldn't have fretted so much, but they had been stuck here for more than a week now. They were malnourished, exhausted and badly wounded. Even their magic wouldn't last very long in their condition. But one thing was certain, she would protect Lucy at any cost. Even if it meant going against Lucy's wish to think of her own safety first.

Morning came quickly and Erza was not surprised to awaken to the smell of food cooking, Loke sitting by the fire he had created.

"Morning" He greeted

"Morning. How was the trip?" Erza asked, stifling a yawn

"Found a well sheltered spot that isn't too far from the walls." Loke prodded the embers with a stick "It should do for our plan. Did you sleep well? The two of you look comfortable."

"Yes." Erza responded quietly, aware of the spirits affection for his master. "Loke, when we carry out the plan, I'd like you to-"

"Protect Lucy at all costs." Loke finished for her. "I would have done that even if you didn't ask me to."

"Thank you" Erza bowed her head

"What about you? Are you planning to survive?"

"I will do what I can to survive." Erza replied "I have a promise to keep. As long as my heart beats, I'll make my way back to her."

Loke could detect the slight hint of a lie behind her words, but did not question her. Even he knew the chances of them getting out without sustaining more injuries were slim, and with their pre-existing injuries, Loke could see the hesitance behind Erza's words.

"Lucy is priority" Erza repeated.

"Let's go over the plan again." Loke suggested "We'll make it as fool proof as it can be."

By the time Lucy awoke, Erza and Loke were all ready to go. Lucy summoned Gemini, the twins well rested and ready. They shifted into Loke's form, lifting Lucy with ease, grinning cheekily like Loke does. This left the real spirit free to lead them to the location. The sky was beginning to brighten, giving them just enough darkness to slip through the forest undetected. It took a couple of hours to reach the designated location, and by the time they reached, it was early afternoon.

Settling down beneath a tree, well hidden from straying cameras, the group took a moment to catch their breath as Loke relayed the plan once more.

"Erza and Lucy will stay here" Loke started, pointing to their current location "I'll be up in the trees. Gemini will pass through there. Once they're through, we move in that direction."

Loke pointed down a path carved through the forest. "We move as fast as we can. If we split, we'll regroup at the cave."

"What if they find us first?" Lucy took a glance at the open area "They'll definitely spot Gemini."

"We hold out as long as we can." Loke shook his head, his face grim "Priority is to hide as fast as possible and not get spotted by those whole golum things. Then we'll wait out for Gemini."

There were a million things that could go wrong with their plan, one wrong move and someone might die, but it was the best they could do. Fairy Tail mages fought til the end and survived, Erza and Lucy both knew that if something went wrong, they would both fight til the end. Lucy let her fingers brush over the whip she had taken from the vault. She hadn't had the chance to use it, but she was glad she had it with her now. Even though she couldn't walk, it would be good for keeping enemies at bay while Erza and Loke took them out. At least she wouldn't be a complete burden.

"Ready?" Loke shifted his gaze between the two mages

"Ready."

Nodding, Loke leaped up silently into the trees, crouching in the branches. Erza stood up, summoning a sword by her side, eyes watching their surroundings. Gemi and Mini danced around a little, stretching their limbs before stopping, a signal that they were ready. Lucy took a deep breath, concentrating on Gemini's energy. The wind danced through the trees, shaking the leaves slightly. For a moment Lucy could see everything, feel everything, smell everything. The forest was peaceful for the moment the leaves rustling when the cameras disrupted them. There was a brief moment of silence. It was time.

"Go!" Lucy whispered

In a flash, Gemini shape-shifted into a cat, sprinting towards the wall. The forest burst to life, the tension in the air growing. Loke and Erza both knew the cameras had caught Gemini's figure, it was only a matter of time before they were swarmed. Loke could hear the harsh thuds against the ground as creatures drew near. Right now they were far enough, but soon they would be caught. It was a tense situation.

His eyes watched Gemini's form intently, his sharp eyes catching every move. He stilled his form, preparing to strike. Not yet. His body screamed at him as he registered Gemini hit the wall, hard. He cursed under his breath, wiling himself not to drop down right now. From the corner of his eye he watched Erza move, and he shifted his gaze to the horizon, watching their backs.

"Lucy! Calm down!" Erza grabbed the panicking girl "One more time. Its not the end."

Lucy stopped shaking, looking Erza in the eye. Tears had welded up in her own eyes from her panic. She blinked them away quickly, turning back to Gemini, who was already up for one more try. Erza rested her hand on Lucy's shoulders, whispering comforting words and advice.

"Go!"

Gemini moved like the wind, and in one blink, they disappeared.

"Focus. Hold it." Erza continued to speak "Just a little more."

"Erza we have to move!" Loke whispered harshly from the trees

"Hold it." Erza raised a hand to stop him, telling him to wait "Ok.. now let the magic flow back slowly."

Lucy exhaled, shaking. Loke dropped down, scooping Lucy into his arms "Move!"

They had just left their spot when a patrol of white creatures burst through the leaves, garbling as they spotted the trio. They gave chase to the three, who dashed quickly into the trees, using the leaves for cover. Arrows flew over their heads as they rushed to escape. Erza turned back slightly, slicing through the barrage of arrows before she caught up with Loke, who had jumped down a small cliff.

"Loke! GO!"

The lion spirit landed safely at the bottom, Lucy still cradled in his arms. He stopped and looked up at Erza's voice, hesitating. Something slipped off the edge, clattering to the ground. Lucy gasped, struggling in Loke's arms.

"GO!" Erza called once more, her voice strained

Growling in frustration, Loke turned on his heel, moving further away.

"Loke? Loke what are you doing!" Lucy shouted "Erza's in trouble!"

"Keep quiet!" Loke ordered "I don't like this either, but I promised to keep you safe!"

"As your master, I order you to turn back!" Lucy fumed angrily, squirming "Erza -"

"Erza will come back." Loke spoke, dodging a hanging branch "Trust her. She told me she would make her way back to you no matter what. Trust in Erza. You know she never makes promises she can't keep."

* * *

Erza grunted wrestling with the beast that had pounced on her. It had caught her by surprise, slamming into her side just before she reached the edge of the small cliff. The sudden attack had knocked her blade away, and Erza caught sight of the weapon slipping off the edge of the cliff. She was knocked down as she caught her breath, yelling for Loke to go when she saw more enemies approaching. She summoned a large blade, spearing the chimera through its chest, throwing the dead carcass off her. She stood there, watching as the patrol of 7 surrounded her, weapons at the ready.

Re-quipping into her Black Wing armor, Erza leaped into the sky, swooping down and taking out three of them at once. Landing, she ducked as a club flew over her head, kicking the creature in the chest. She leaped backwards as another swung at her, re-equipping into her Heaven's Wheel Armor, pulling out 50 blades at once. With one command she sent the blades flying, spearing the creatures and killing them all.

She stood there for a moment breathing heavily, staring at the corpses by her feet. Her senses were on wide alert. The tension in the air had yet to subside. Something else was coming. Erza jumped to the side, landing on her feet crouched as several large figures ripped through the trees, snarls and growls filling the air. She froze momentarily. 4 chimeras surrounded her, mounted by the white golums.

This was bad. Erza steeled herself, carefully watching the beasts as they encircled her, waiting to to make their move. One of them lunged, unable to withstand the stalemate. Erza rolled out of the way, seeing the creature almost slam into another from the corner of her eye. She had no time to ponder, dodging as one of the swung its blade at her, the mounted chimera trying to hit her with its massive stinger. A sharp pain exploded in her side as an arrowhead embedded itself in her flesh. Growling, Erza yanked it out, throwing the bloody arrow aside and she decapitated the archer, the limp body sliding off the chimera.

With its rider lost, the chimera went berserk, thrashing about wildly. It shifted its wild gaze from the remaining mount and riders and Erza. The lone chimera locked eyes on the red-head, its four-eyes reflecting its prey. The chimera lunged, the other following close behind. Erza fell to the ground, and a sharp scream echoed through the woods.

* * *

**Rewrote this chapter multiple times. Hopefully I what was in my head properly conveyed. Thanks for the favorites and follows!**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me

Copyrighting not intended

* * *

"Stay there Lucy!" Loke yelled

The celestial mage swore as she cracked her whip, the harsh sound temporarily keeping the golums at bay. They had left Erza behind, only to run into another patrol of golums. This time they had two riders on chimeras, Lucy and Loke were outnumbered. They had no choice but to stand and fight, it was impossible to flee. Dagger in one hand, a whip in the other, Lucy leaned back against a tree, killing the golums that dared go near her. Loke was several feet in front fighting off the riders while the rest surrounded her.

"I can handle myself!" Lucy shouted back, using her whip to throw the creatures into each other, disarming them in the process. She stabbed one as it got near, throwing the carcass to the side.

Loke roared with anger as he kicked a rider of his chimera, killing the beast with a charged punch. Tossing a quick glance at Lucy, he grinned as he saw her kill another, dodging a swipe from the chimera himself.

"Loke Watch out!"

The spirit turned in time to dodge a spear thrust by a golum that was behind him. However the sudden movement unbalanced him and he fell back on his back. He shifted as the spear came down again, missing him but piercing his shirt, pinning him to the ground. Loke ripped off the restricting fabric, grabbing the golum and killing it with a sharp twist of its head. His warning came with a price. Lucy gasped as a club caught her in the side, sending her to the ground. Landing on the roots didn't help, Lucy grabbing her sides in pain. She threw out the dagger, embedding it in a golum's head, wincing at the exertion.

"Regulus Impact!"

Loke swung at the golums, sending them all flying into the bushes. Grabbing Lucy, he made a run for it, disappearing into the trees. This time they were lucky, managing to dive into a hidden spot before the golums spotted them. Their hearts raced as the golums plodded past, making high pitched gargling sounds. Heaving a silent sigh, Loke relaxed against the rock wall they had taken refuge from.

"We just have to hold on until Gemini makes it" Loke swallowed breathing hard

"We don't know how long it'll take" Lucy spluttered out "And we left Erza behind, She might be injured, or dead!"

"D..Don't call me dead just yet."

Erza stumbled out from the trees, cut up and bloody. Lucy gasped as Loke ran to catch Erza, who was swaying lightly on her feet. "You should keep it down, I could hear you loud and clear from there."

"I..I was worried" Lucy hurriedly checked Erza over as Loke brought her into their cramped hiding spot. "Oh gosh Erza, what happened."

"Ambushed" Erza gasped out she sat down, stumbling over her own feet.

Other than being terribly out of breath, lacerations all over her body and bleeding, Lucy could see no major life-threatening wounds. She was concerned for Erza's left arm. It was out of its sling and the skin was still an angry purple. She gasped when she saw blood bleeding through the bandages from what seemed like a nasty bite.

"Erza, your arm." Lucy frowned, gently touching it

The re-equip mage flinched, a flash of pain in her face "Couldn't fight them off with one hand. Had to ditch the sling. Got bitten."

"You stupid stupid girl" Lucy chided angrily, wiping the blood off Erza's face.

She had no spare cloth on hand, and there was nothing nearby to use as a sling. Remembering her weapon, Lucy hurriedly unhooked it from her belt and pulled it behind Erza. The older girl groaned and gritted her teeth in pain as Lucy shifted her arm into the make shift sling. Tying a knot to hold it in place, Lucy grimaced as she watched Erza deal with the pain. She wished she could take some of the pain away. It was times like this that she wished she could use healing magic just like Wendy.

"Gosh Erza, you're burning up!" Lucy pressed a hand to Erza's forehead, realizing the girl was having a bad fever

"Don't worry." Erza waved her off "Im fine."

"You're dead on your feet" Loke sighed, noting that Erza was breaking up her sentences into short phrases "You're far from fine."

"I'm fine!" Erza stressed, closing her eyes "Nothing serious."

"Even if the fever doesn't, you're injured!" Lucy freaked out, angry and worry in her eyes

"Believe in Gemini. We'll make it out alive." Erza flashed a tried smile, her head falling back against the rock.

And though it did little to ease Lucy's worries, it was enough to calm her down for the moment. As Lucy settled in beside her, Erza noticed that Lucy was favoring her right side, and she was not happy. She raised her good arm and lightly touched Lucy's ribs, her brow furrowing as Lucy flinched from the touch.

"Did you get hurt?"

"No. I'm fine."

"You've been favoring your side for a while" Erza retorted softly.

"She got hit earlier" Loke shook his head, avoiding Erza's glare "Probably has a couple of broken ribs."

"Hey! It's not that bad!" Lucy protested, wincing as she agitated her ribs.

"I hate to be the mood breaker, but we have a problem" Loke changed the topic "I've been sensing something powerful, and its awakening."

"I've sensed it too." Erza nodded "I don't think we have much time left."

"We're safe as long as we stay hidden." Loke nodded "We can pro-"

The ground shook violently, and sounds of collapsing trees filled the air. A loud roar echoed through the remaining trees and the ground trembled.. A stream of fire shot into the sky, followed by another roar. The trees fell one by one, and before long, they had a clear view of what they were facing. Climbing out of a large hole in the ground was a red skinned creature. It looked very much like a giant version of the golums, a chain of skulls around its neck. Unlike its smaller white counterpart, the red golum had a single glowing yellow eye atop its head, wings coming out out of its back. A large green jewel was embedded in its chest, and fire shot out of it periodically.

"Hiding will do you no good." a loud voice rang through the air "I can see you!"

A beam of fire shot over their heads as the trio ducked as low as they could. Loke snarled angrily. He spotted the cameras around trained on their location, there was no way to get out of their sight.

"I'm going to distract it." Loke stood up "Lucy, Take care of Erza."

"What! Are you crazy? That thing will kill you!" Lucy shook her head violently

"I'm going with you." Erza struggled to stand, but instead found herself falling back on Lucy, she had no strength left in her

"I'm immortal remember?" Loke gave a bitter smile "I can handle it. And Erza, you're in no condition to be moving."

The lion spirit dashed off towards the giant, the creature firing beams at Loke as he approached. Lucy shifted Erza into a more well-protected spot, being mindful of her wounds. Lucy brushed Erza's hair away from her face, worriedly watching her. A small rustle in the leaves caught her eye, and Lucy warily watched, Time seemed to slow down as Lucy prepared to fight, only to have a sigh of relief when a hare dashed out from the spot she had been watching

She could see Loke's small figure leaping around the giant creature he was up against, effectively keeping it from firing at their location. However, that didn't stop the advancing golum patrols. The celestial mage caught sight of the sunlight glinting off their weapons, giving them away. She struggled to stand, only to be stopped by a light grip around her wrist

"Where are you going?" Erza whispered tiredly

Lucy shifted herself in front of Erza, placing her hands gently on her face "I need to make sure we're safe."

"No!" Erza hissed out "I'll go with you."

Shaking her head, Lucy pressed a light kiss upon Erza's clammy forehead "You're going to stay here and rest. I'll be fine. I promise. Besides, you can't fight like this."

Closing her eyes, Erza knew Lucy was right, even though she knew if she pushed herself a little more, she could fight but risk killing herself in the process, something she had promised Lucy to avoid. A small light shone from Erza's hand as she summoned weapons from her arsenal. A long slender whip and a light short sword appeared, and Erza handed them to Lucy with a small smile, resigned.

"Stay safe." Erza wheezed out, taking shallow breaths as her brows furrowed slightly from the difficulty she had breathing

Lucy took the weapons with a sheepish smile, realizing she had no weapons on her person. "I love you."

"Love you too" Erza whispered out.

Bracing herself against the rocks, Lucy limped out the best she could, blocking the path to Erza's location. She gripped the weapons in her hand tightly, watching the tree line. Lucy took a quick glance at the two weapons in her hand, then it hit her. She grinned, as she studied her handiwork, ready for the patrol. They never saw it coming. The first golum to step out of the trees found a dagger stuck in its head, the blood spurting out as Lucy yanked the hilt of her whip back, the dagger flying back into her hands. With a skillful flick of her wrist. Lucy speared another right where its heart should be, disarming another a split second later.

Lucy heard the sounds of a bow being drawn, ducking just as the projectile struck the rock next to her. Her whip flew out, twisting around the bow and snapping it in half. She winced as the whistling sound of an arrow flew past her ear, the sound of the narrow escape ringing in her head. Lucy threw out her whip once more, effectively putting down two more golums.

It seemed that for every one she put down, two more appeared. Lucy watched as they surrounded their area, but refused to back down. She swung her whip in a wide arc, doing little damage but managed to keep them at a far distance. Her chest felt like it was one fire, and Lucy knew she was quickly running out of stamina as well as magic. Two spirits out at the time was tiring, even more so when one spirit was nowhere near her location. Lucy blinked. Fatal mistake.

An arrow struck its target, Lucy gasping as her body was thrown backwards, an arrow sticking out of her side. Falling back against the rocks, Lucy managed to take down one more golum before the sudden pressure on her injured foot caused legs to buckle. Crashing to the ground, Lucy lost her grip on her whip, pain exploding in her back. Dazed, she laid there for a moment, before scrabbling to find her weapon.

Lucy grunted as a large talon pressed upon her chest, the sharp end of a sword pointing right between her eyes. The celestial mage closed her eyes, a bitter frown on her face.

A roar ripped through the forest as the area went up in flames, the golums shrieking at the heat. Eyes snapped open. She knew that feeling.

"Natsu!"

The fire-breathing boy leaped into the sky, landing in front of her "Karyuu No Hoko!" spitting out yet another breath of fire.

"Lucy!"

Familiar hands began to tug at her, cradling her back as she sat up.

"Mira-san" Lucy smiled, tears springing to her eyes. "How? Gemini... Did Gemini reach you?"

"Of course!"

Lucy turned her head, eyes widening in surprise "Gemini? Why are you in that form?"

"It was the fastest way to get to Fairy Tail" Gemini shrugged, red hair blowing in the wind "Not that we needed to move far anyway. Mirajane-san and the rest were not too far from here."

"We'll explain later." Mirajane nodded "Let's get you out of here."

"Erza... Erza's hurt!" Lucy shook her head "Back there. We have to save her!"

"Relax!" Mirajane smiled "Wendy's here. She'll be fine."

Lucy caught a glimpse of blue hair as she closed her eyes shakily, the adrenaline fading. She became painfully aware of the throbbing in her head and side and was starting to feel a little light-headed.

"Loke" Lucy whispered out, her body relaxing against Mirajane

"He'll be fine. Gray is there, and so is Master."

"Master? He's here?" Lucy mumbled, eyelids heavy

"Lucy? Lucy, look at me!" Mirajane panicked, shaking the celestial mage "Wendy!"

"Lucy! Look at me! Only at me!" Lucy couldn't make out anything more than blurry shapes, her body failing her at the last moment. A mass of red entered her vision, gentle hands placed on the sides of her head "Look at me. I'm right here"

The voices around her all blended together, all mixing into a mass of mumbles. Lucy blinked slowly a few times, struggling to focus on the red blob filling her vision that slowly faded into black.

"Erza..."

* * *

"ERZA!"

Lucy bolted upright, immediately regretting it as pain radiated through her leg and side. There was a loud crash at the person sitting next to Lucy's bed fell to the floor in utter shock, clearly awoken by Lucy's outburst.

"Lucy-san!" Lisanna's voice echoed through the room "You're awake!"

"Lisanna?" Lucy gasped out, frowning lightly "What happened? Where am I?"

"Back at the guild" Lisanna set the chair she had been sitting on upright, grabbing Lucy's pillow and propping it up "You've been out for a week"

"A week?" Lucy shook her head, slowly settling back into the pillow with Lisanna's help "I.. The last thing I remember was Natsu showing up, and Mira-san... Erza... Where's Erza!"

"Lucy-san! Calm down!" Lisanna quickly grabbed Lucy's arms, pushing her back as she tried to get out of bed. "Calm down!"

"I need to see her! Where is she!" Lucy fought back violently, ignoring the pain she was in

"You can't see her!" Lisanna yelled out, pressing her lips together as Lucy froze "She's not here" she repeated, quieter

"Not..here?" Lucy repeated the words, eyes flying into a wild panic "No No No No! She's not dead. She can't be. No!"

"Lucy-san please!" Lisanna pleaded futilely as she struggled to keep Lucy from leaving the bed "Lucy-san, calm down!"

"Lucy, Listen to me. Calm down. Erza's not dead!" Two more hands placed themselves upon her shoulders, calming her.

Lucy looked up with tear-filled eyes, staring into the face of Fairy Tail's bartender. Mirajane had a small smile on her face "She's not dead."

"Where is she?" Lucy asked, her voice small and broken, choking on a sob as she did

Mirajane gently pushed Lucy back onto the propped up pillow as Lisanna left the room quietly, leaving the two to talk alone. Mirajane's hands drifted down to hold Lucy's, stopping the trembling.

"Erza is with Porlyuscia." Mirajane replied softly "She was suffering from a severe fever caused by her wounds getting infected in addition to her numerous injuries. You were badly injured as well. You fell into a feverish coma soon after we found you. Wendy couldn't heal the both of you completely. We managed to keep the both of you alive until we got back, then we sent Erza to Porlyuscia's. She's been there ever since."

"Is she okay?" Lucy whispered out, another tear escaping her eyes as the full weight of their ordeal crashed down on her.

"I don't know" Mirajane shook her head sadly, gently wiping away Lucy's tears "We haven't heard anything from Porlyuscia. Not even Master knows Erza's condition."

Taking a few deep breaths, Lucy managed to get her panic under control, composing herself "How did you find us so quickly? Were we near Magnolia?"

Mirajane shook her head. "No. You were two towns away from Magnolia, far beyond our reach in the Forest Valley. We were lucky. Once you guys went missing, Master wasted no time in looking for information. We had to be discreet about what we found, we were being watched. Mystogan managed to gather enough information to suggest that you were somewhere in the Forest Valley."

"Did Gemini reach you?" Lucy asked quietly, then it dawned on her "Gemini.. was in Erza's form..."

The white haired girl smiled. "He did. It was quite a shock. We were combing through the valley when we met Gemini. Natsu went ballistic thinking that we found Erza."

"Why Erza?" Lucy asked, struggling to keep her voice from breaking.

"He said it was the fastest way to get to Fairy Tail" Mirajane replied with a sad nod "Good choice too. Erza is known for her crazy stamina."

"She kept protecting me." Lucy burst into tears once more "She has to be okay. She has to be!"

Mirajane said nothing, pulling the younger girl into a hug. Lucy cried herself to sleep in Mirajane's arms, the older girl tucking her back under the covers, sighing as she left the room quietly.

"How is she?"

"Not doing so well." Mirajane sighed, the smell of alcohol reaching her nose as arms wrapped gently around her waist. "She's worried sick about Erza. We all are. We haven't heard anything since we came back"

"That just means she'll still alive."

"We don't know that!" Mirajane turned in the embrace, looking into deep brown eyes.

"Are you usually the optimistic one?" She laughed, pulling Mirajane closer "I'm worried too, but it's Erza we're talking about. She'll be fine."

"I hope so. If Erza doesn't make it, Lucy will be crushed" Mirajane whispered, leaning into the warm body pressed to hers

* * *

6 weeks later, Lucy was completely healed physically, but mentally she was a mess. The whole guild was worried for the young blonde. Her eyes were dull and she kept to herself most of the time, locking herself away as much as she could. She no longer went on missions, owing her landlady rent, causing her to be kicked out. Mirajane took her back to Fairy Hills, letting Lucy stay in Erza's room for the time being. She was hoping being around Erza's stuff would get Lucy out of her severe depression, but it didn't seem to work.

Lucy sank further and further into depression, not even her spirits could talk her out of it. Even Aquarius began to feel concerned her her key wielder, trying to spite Lucy out of her self-inflicted isolation. Nightmares plagued the blonde celestial mage, waking up in tears almost every night, crying herself back to sleep in Mirajane's arms. Sometimes, someone would catch a fleeting emotion in Lucy's eyes as she thought about Erza, but it was always gone as quickly as it had appeared.

Makarov refused to say anything about Erza's condition, he too was being kept in the dark by the grouchy old healer, but he trusted her when she said Erza was alive and that was enough for a while. The rest of the guild weren't so patient. Natsu constantly asked about Erza, flying into a rage when there was no news. The fights between Gray and himself escalated, both sides letting out their frustrations on the other.

Even though the mastermind behind the whole incident had been caught, the council had yet to pass a sentence. Makarov had no doubt it would be a life sentence, but why the council was waiting was beyond his understanding. The bastard was the son of a high ranking official that was second only to the council. He was bored and had turned to kidnapping mages for sport, using them for entertainment as he drained them of their magic with his collars. It wasn't until Gray and Makarov had reached the core of the faciity that they knew what was really going on.

The magic being drained from the mages had been used to awaken a biological experiment created by the the mad son, the golums. The golums terrorised the captured mages, brutally killing them as their friends drew near, the victims too weak to fight back, the despair increasing the excitement the boy got. Makarov went into a rage upon seeing recorded footage of his girls, smashing the console with one hit. The fight was uneventful, the coward giving up upon seeing Gray and Makarov. They had to reluctantly hand him over to the council, but not before Gray and Natsu beat him senseless, Makarov turning a blind eye to it.

Right now, Lucy sat quietly at the guild bar, a small cake in front of her, the candle flame flickering with each breath she took.

"Lucy?" Mirajane asked quietly, knowing that Lucy probably didn't want to talk"

"It's her birthday today" Lucy murmured, her eyes gazing into the flames.

"Yeah it is" Mirajane nodded silently "That's her favourite cake, isn't it?"

When Lucy didn't reply, Mirajane left her alone, respecting her silent wishes. Lucy sat there silently, watching the candle wither down slowly, changing the candle when it burnt out, one for each year Erza had lived. She didn't know how long she sat there, ignoring the noisy babbles of the guild. She barely registered the guild going into an uproar, her head drowning out everything but the flickering candle. She gasped as two arms snaked around her waist, pulling her against a warm body. She growled angrily, not wanting to be disturbed, ready to give the idiot a piece of her mind.

"Aren't you going to say hi?" a soft breath danced across her neck

Lucy had never moved so quickly in her life. She twisted out of their position, turning back to meet the most beautiful set of irises she had ever seen. Her vision blurred as tears gather in her eyes, quickly rolling down her cheeks.

"Erza!"

The red-head pulled her into a tight embrace, easily lifting her off the chair, a wide grin on her face "I'm back. Sorry I took so long"

Lucy could only cry into Erza's shoulder as she held on tightly, the cheers and echoes from the fellow guild mates finally registering in her ears. "Baka! Baka! You baka!"

"Is that cake for me?" Erza smiled brightly, eyeing the sugary confectionery treat

Caught between a sob and a laugh, Lucy nodded, finally pulling back from their embrace "Happy Birthday Erza! Welcome back."

Erza rested her hand on Lucy's cheek, wiping away her tears as she whispered against her lips "There's no where I'd rather be."

"I love you"

* * *

**END! I hope you guys don't feel bothered by the quick ending. It is a little rushed, but the huge boss battle doesn't really play that much of a big part in the story so... I hope you enjoyed this anyway. **


End file.
